The National Geographic Magazine
AP from Press Ass'n
Not of the Red Cross Are These Ambulance Drivers, yet They Wear Its Mercy Symbol
From North African front lines these members of the American Field Service hauled the wounded. Many
dodged Rommel's Stukas and 88's. For all this they got a $20-a-month commissary allowance. Organized in
France in 1914, the service operated there again until the surrender. Now its volunteers are with the British.
The National Memorial at Kitty Hawk, North
Carolina, to the first flight of the Wright brothers
in 1903, appears in much ATC insignia.
SERVICE CAP AND FIBER HELMET.
Bronze
with letters ATC. On shield (% inch high)
is representation of the Kitty Hawk Memorial
tower.
SHOULDER LOOP AND CAPS. Worn on shoulder
loops of coats and on left side of garrison caps.
Background, bronze; Kitty Hawk Memorial has
red light rays, forming a cross. Blue enamel words,
from inscription on the memorial, "Achieved by
dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith."
BUTTON. Bronze.
Letters ATC.
NONCOMBATANT-SLEEVE EMBLEM.
Worn on
left sleeve, two inches below shoulder, of all outer
garments.
Size, 41 inches square. Worn in
overseas operations.
WINGS. Based on small lapel insignia worn on
civilian clothes by the "Ancient and Secret Order
of Quiet Birdmen," social organization of pilots.
Wings were "blown up" to appropriate size for
wear on uniforms (31 inches between wing tips).
Letters ATC were substituted for the QB of orig-
inal. Dissimilarity from Air Forces wings is
emphasized by bronze metal.
Half-wings attached to one-inch disks are worn
by flight crew members.
Disk for navigator
shows Western Hemisphere; for radio operator,
zigzag lightning flashes; for mechanic, a propeller.
All wings are worn on left pocket of coat and
on shirt when worn without coat.
SLEEVE STRIPES ON COATS. To differentiate in
signia from that of Army, contract personnel
adopted Navy system of sleeve stripes to show
grade. No rank is higher than three full bands,
which would be equivalent to a full commander
in the Navy (or lieutenant colonel in Army).
Kitty Hawk disk, shown in large size above,
is worn on shoulder loops of coat, no matter what
grade wearer shows by his sleeve stripes.
SHOULDER LOOPS ON TRENCH COAT. Rank is
indicated by silver-edged black bars.
Colors,
size, and shape distinguish bars from those of
Army. When shirt is worn without coat, rank
bars are worn on shoulder loops and Kitty Hawk
disk halfway between button and bars. ATC
contract personnel wear bars on shoulder loops
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